There's a special relation between women and shoes, so a visit to the Bata Shoe Museum with a girlfriend is bound to be a success.
We dared to visit the museum with my cousin's very patient husband. (He was a good sport but beware! There are five exhibits to see.)
We loved the Fashion Victims: Pleasures and Perils of the Dress in the 19th Century on the last floor. It will go on until June 30th 2016. (I can't imagine how much the golden boots would cost nowadays, or how long a pair of silk shoes would last if one were to actually walk in them!)
I really enjoyed how much I learned about shoemaking on all floors. In All About Shoes, there was a series of drawings illustrating the different sandal designs over time, the display showing every single step in the process of making quality leather shoes. In Shoemaking Traditions, we could see boots made from scratch (Ugg boots fans will appreciate the video). In the Native North American Footwear exhibit, they illustrate the basic pattern for each type of moccasin next to the actual footwear. In Fashion Victims, we are so close to each pair in display that we can clearly see every stitch.
Note for young visitors
On the lower floor, there were many shoes for us to try on. (I went for the hobbit foot and the clown shoe.) By the entrance to All About Shoes (Footwear Through the Ages), there's a hand-out with photos of shoes to spy as one explores the rooms. In the All About Shoes room, there are discovery drawers under shoe-shaped benches. (They include fun books, matching games, and a few shoes to try).
The "celebrity corner" includes well-worn Dalai Lama flip-flops! At the Shoemaking Traditions from Around the World exhibits, there are many interesting video clips on the making of seal fur boots, Indian sandals and more. Otherwise, one needs to read the signs to find out the interesting facts about each shoe.
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